Auckland, NEW ZEALAND — Bishop Peter Brown Archdiocese Samoa Pago Pago announced with great sadness the passing of their beloved Archbishop Alapati Lui Mataeliga at 3 am Auckland time in New Zealand Tuesday morning.

“We the Bishop’s, Priests, Deacons, and Catechists and people of he Diocese of Samoa Pago Pago offer our heartfelt prayers and sympathy to Samoa.

He was 70 years old at the time of his passing.

Archbishop Mataeliga served as the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Samoa-Apia and Ecclesiastical Superior of the Mission of Tokelau. He was ordained for the presbyterate of the Diocese of Samoa and Tokelau on July 5, 1977.